My car broke down a few months ago,
so I've been taking the bus to work.
For nearly forty years,
I've driven myself to work and back,
so this is a big adjustment for me.
In order to calm my fears,
I've been sending texts to my loving wife,
Tonia,
and she replies with such loving,
thoughtful words,
that I hate to delete any such words
from my phone.
But my phone's memory
is nearly full,
so I decided
to publish these messages here,
at least those not x rated.
Then I can erase them from my phone.
My wife's uncle Randall
is a veteran bus rider,
here in Wichita, Kansas,
so he told me exactly where to stand,
to flag down the bus,
only two blocks from where we live.
I named the corner Randall's Corner.
By the way,
the city buses in Wichita
only run from early morning to late afternoon,
Monday through Saturday,
no nights,
no Sundays,
no holidays,
so I get rides from Tonia's brother,
Terrell,
to get home each night,
and on Sundays.
My interaction with Terrell
could make another diary.
Now,
the love letter texts:
Me, Sep 24:
I'm posted up at Randall's Corner.
Tonia:
Good thats my man
Me:
I tied my bootlaces after I got here.
Tonia:
Good saved time
Me:
The fleabane flowers here are truly pretty,
delicate lavender petals,
with very bright yellow centers.
Tonia:
Truly beautiful.
We used 2 give them 2 mom.
(Tonia took care of her mother for some years,
as she was gradually dying,
as I took care of my first wife,
Pam,
as she was gradually dying.)
Me:
That's why I gave them to you,
using words,
on the phone.
Tonia:
Don't you dare make me cry.
Me:
Tears of joy at our love
may be good for us.
Tonia:
It is.
There is no may 2 it.
Me:
There's an accident at 21st and Broadway;
may cause a delay....no,
they let us through.
Me:
I did a Forrest Gump:
I commented on the shoes of another bus rider.
Tonia:
O boy
Oct 1
Me:
Old black man,
in bib overalls and straw hat,
mowing our fleabane,
with a new, $200 mower.
Tonia:
Wish we had the mower
Me:
He's mowing slowly and carefully.
Bus coming.
Me:
While riding here on the bus,
I just paid some of our bills,
using my phone
and the credit union phone robot.
Tonia:
K luv U
Oct 13
Me:
Relaxing in break room,
thinking of you.
Tonia:
Ahhhhh good
Tonia:
I love you
Me:
I need u.
Tonia:
I need u more.
I said I can catch the bus at a certain corner two blocks away,
but if I miss it,
I can walk seven long blocks South,
and catch the same bus about fifteen minutes later,
at a regular bus stop.
I had to do this once:
Oct 15
Me:
Missed bus,
got on at 21st.
Tonia:
Wow U made it down there b 4 it got there, so impressed.
Oct 17
Me:
R u alive?
Long day.
You give me a reason to do it all,
the bus,
the long days,
the ride home with reluctant drivers.
Keep adoring me!
To get to work,
I take two buses,
the North Broadway from our neighborhood
to the transit center downtown,
then the West Maple,
which drops me off right at my
Walmart workplace.
To get to work by 2 PM,
which is my most common scheduled check in time,
I wake up at 10:30 AM,
get to Randall's Corner by 11:30 AM,
and if the bus gets to the transit center
before 12:20,
I get on the West Maple,
and arrive at my workplace
at about 12:45,
an hour and fifteen minutes early.
I relax in the break room,
eat cheese and crackers,
and punch in right on time.
If the North Broadway bus arrives downtown
later than 12:20,
I sit at the transit center,
eat crackers and cheese,
use the restroom,
and get on the 1:20 West Maple bus,
and arrive at work fifteen minutes early.
Oct 20
Me:
The North Broadway bus was very late.
But that's okay,
I used the restroom,
and now I'm waiting here at the transit center.
The next West Maple bus will get me to work on time.
Tonia:
Oh good have fun
Oct 23
Me:
Bus is late.
Tonia:
U know bus is a crap shoot
We wrote happy anniversary texts to each other
on our first anniversary,
just after midnight,
as Terrell was taking me home:
Oct 25
Me:
Happy first anniversary.
Me:
You rescued me from my fears.
You may have saved my life.
Thank you.
Tonia:
I did and I love you
Me:
Thank you for your response.
The next morning,
or later that morning,
you know what I mean,
while on the bus:
Me:
Feels good to be out of the cold wind,
on the bus,
thinking of you,
on our special day.
Tonia:
Ahhh love u
And so on,
and so forth.
Thanks for reading.